Patents Examined by Jannelle M. Lebron
  • Patent number: 11040551
    Abstract: A recording unit which is provided in a recording system includes a heat roller pair which contacts paper and performs drying of the paper after recording by a line head using heating and a control unit which controls operation of the heat roller pair, in which a heating region of the heat roller pair is divided into a plurality of subdivisions in a width direction which intersects the medium transport direction and the heat roller pair is configured to be capable of modifying a heating state for each subdivision region, and in which the control unit controls the heating state of each of the subdivision regions in the heat roller pair according to conditions when performing drying of the paper using the heat roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Mizushima, Kazuyoshi Ohashi, Akinori Muromachi, Kohei Ueno
  • Patent number: 11034164
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus is described that includes a first print section, a second print section, a dryer, and a printing path. The first print section includes a first fluid ejection array, while the second print section includes a second fluid ejection array. The dryer is positioned adjacent to the first print section and the second print section. The printing path that travels in a first direction through the dryer after exiting the first print section and travels in a second direction through the dryer after exiting the second print section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Mike Steed, James Kearns, Heather L. Stokes, Ronald R. Anderson, Joe Santich
  • Patent number: 11014350
    Abstract: There is disclosed a housing including a plurality of compartments for housing a plurality of LEDs or photo detectors. Each compartment has a number of control pads projecting inwardly and a number of protrusions. The control pads are configured to provide a contact surface for the LEDs or photo detectors to control the alignment and position of each of the plurality of LEDs or photodiodes within each of the plurality of compartments. Each of the protrusions urges each of the plurality of LEDs or photodiodes against the respective control pads to control the alignment of the LEDs or photodiodes in the housing. A detector array including a casing, an LED housing and a photodiode housing is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Francisco Gomez, Rafael Ulacia Portoles, Laura Portela Mata, Jose Miguel Felguera
  • Patent number: 11014353
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes a pressure chamber, an actuator, and an application unit. The chamber accommodates liquid. The actuator changes a volume of the chamber with a drive signal to be applied. The unit apply s the signal to the actuator. The signal includes a discharge pulse and a vibration pulse. The discharge pulse causes liquid to be discharged from a nozzle. A second discharge pulse is applied after a first discharge pulse. The vibration pulse is applied before the discharge pulse, has a potential having a polarity opposite to that of the discharge pulse. A period of the discharge pulse is 1.5 times to 2.5 times a half-period of a main acoustic resonance frequency of liquid in the chamber. A pulse width of the first pulse is closer to the half-period of the main acoustic resonance frequency than a pulse width of the second pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhito Kiji
  • Patent number: 11007784
    Abstract: With the purpose of providing an improved cleaning mechanism that accomplishes better results and that may be used in thermal and piezoelectric printing, it is dis-closed a method for cleaning a printhead comprising: moving a wiper along a plurality of nozzles of the printhead; and pressurizing the nozzles within the printhead, the pressurization of each nozzle causing ink to be expelled in an expelling direction; wherein a controller is to detect the position of the wiper and to selectively pressurize at least some of the nozzles for which the position of the wiper corresponds to its expelling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jordi Bas, Alejandro Mielgo
  • Patent number: 10994558
    Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating a printable medium for the use in a printer is described. The apparatus comprises a drag device, a feed device and a lock device. The drag device conveys the printable medium to a printing area. The feed device feeds the printable medium to the drag device. The lock device is disposed between the feed device and the drag device. The lock device temporarily fixes a first portion of the printable medium so as to cause a second portion of the printable medium being in contact with the drag device to slip along the drag device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ignasi Bonjoch, Francisco Javier Roses Conesa, Eduardo Martin Orue, Daniel Nunez Fernandez
  • Patent number: 10994533
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a liquid discharge head including a plurality of liquid chambers respectively communicating with a plurality of nozzles and circulating liquid therethrough. Each liquid chamber is provided with a pressure generator for discharging the liquid from a corresponding nozzle. The liquid discharge device further includes a waveform data memory to store drive waveform data including discharge drive waveform data for discharging the liquid according to image data and micro-vibration drive waveform data for causing a micro vibration of a meniscus of the liquid discharge head. The liquid discharge device further includes circuitry configured to generate a drive waveform based on the drive waveform data; apply, to the pressure generator, a discharge drive waveform based on the discharge drive waveform data, in a printing area; and apply, to the pressure generator, a micro-vibration drive waveform based on the micro-vibration drive waveform data, in a non-print area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10994562
    Abstract: It is disclosed a print-head carriage comprising base and a tab with a rotatable connection to the base on a first end, the rotation of the tab defining a closed position in which a second end opposite to the first end is in contact with the base and an open position in which the second end is separated from the base, the base being adapted to receive a print-head along an insertion direction when the tab is in the open position wherein the tab further comprises a latch located at a position remote to the rotatable connection comprising a lever, that separates from the tab in an unlocked position and moves towards the tab in a locked position; wherein the latch comprises a biasing mechanism to bias the latch to the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Raimon Castells De Monet, Antoni Sender Beleta, Jose Antonio Alvarez Tapia, Jonatan de la Rubia, Diego Lopez Ubieto
  • Patent number: 10987948
    Abstract: A controller performs control to: print a test pattern on a print medium, the test pattern including: a head reference straight line extending in a main scanning direction and printed by a reference print head; and head adjustment straight lines extending in the main scanning direction and printed by each of non-reference print heads at timings corresponding to timing adjustment values; and in response to input of information specifying the head adjustment straight line with a smallest print misalignment amount in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the head reference straight line for each of the non-reference print heads, determine, for each of the non-reference print heads, the timing adjustment value corresponding to the head adjustment straight line specified by the input information as an adjustment value of an ink ejection timing in the non-reference print head in normal printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Ebisawa
  • Patent number: 10987946
    Abstract: An ink ejecting device includes: a head that ejects ink from a plurality of nozzles arranged along a Y-axis direction parallel to a direction in which a recording medium is conveyed; an X-axis moving mechanism that moves the head in an X-axis direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction on the horizontal plane; a control unit that performs scanning in which the head is moved in the X-axis direction and that causes the head to eject ink during the scanning; and a Z-axis moving mechanism that moves the head in a Z-axis direction orthogonal to the Y-axis and X-axis directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Masaaki Maruta, Masato Usui
  • Patent number: 10987928
    Abstract: A liquid in the vicinity of a nozzle is efficiently circulated. A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle plate provided with a first nozzle; a flow channel forming unit provided with a first pressure, a first communication channel through which the first nozzle and the first pressure chamber communicate with each other, and a circulating liquid chamber. The nozzle plate is provided with a first circulation channel through which the first communication channel and the circulating liquid chamber communicate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutomo Tsukahara, Yuma Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 10981394
    Abstract: The object of the invention, which relates to a method for printing a substrate by means of inkjet printing, is to enable precise printing of a landing point matrix, which is displaced, rotated, or distorted, particularly not linearly distorted, as compared to an ideally orthogonal landing point matrix, with less complexity. Said object is achieved in that the lateral resolution is selected to be large enough that the smallest distance between nozzle lines is less than the minimum distance between the landing zone rows, and that, with a variation, specified by the substrate, of the distance of adjacent landing zone rows between various landing zone lines (distortion), the position of the landing zones of a landing zone line is determined relative to the nozzle lines and consequently only the printhead nozzles having a nozzle line intersecting a landing zone are actuated according to a nozzle actuation scheme and the corresponding landing zone type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PLASTIC LOGIC HK LIMITED
    Inventors: Andreas Döbelt, Rolf Schneider, Jan Schönefeld, Michael Doran
  • Patent number: 10974515
    Abstract: The present subject matter relates to disposing memory banks and select register. In an example implementation, a plurality of memory banks is arranged to form a group of memory banks. Each memory bank includes a plurality of memory units. At least one select register generates a select signal to access the memory units in the plurality of memory banks. The at least one select register is disposed at an end of the group of memory banks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Boon Bing Ng, Noorashekin Binte Jamil
  • Patent number: 10974516
    Abstract: An apparatus specifies authority of a user who is logged onto the apparatus. The apparatus enables displaying a first display item for purchasing a consumable based on at least the presence or absence of the specified authority of logged in user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Moriya
  • Patent number: 10960693
    Abstract: After an ejector passes an ejection end position, a controller controls a second conveyor to convey a sheet in a sub-scanning direction. The ejection end position is a position at which ink ejection by the ejector ends before reaching a turn position. An ejection start position is a position at which ink ejection by the ejector starts after turning at the turn position. Based on positional relationship between the ejection end position and a standard position, the controller adjusts timing of conveyance of the sheet or shift the turn position from the standard position in a direction of reducing an overlap between a sheet conveyance period after the ejector passes the ejection end position and an ejector deceleration period before the ejector reaches the turn position. The standard position is a standard turn position of the ejector and is determined from the ejection end position and the ejection start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta Arakawa
  • Patent number: 10960671
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a plurality of liquid ejecting modules each including a plurality of head units and a first plate, a second plate, and a protrusion. The plurality of liquid ejecting modules is arrayed in a first direction. The first plate has a first surface to which the plurality of head units is fixed and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first plate has a thickness in a second direction. The second plate is disposed at the second surface of the first plate so as to extend along the plurality of liquid ejecting modules. The protrusion protrudes from the second plate in a direction away from the first plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Hayashi, Taisuke Mizuno, Keita Hirai, Yuichi Ito
  • Patent number: 10960662
    Abstract: A print head control circuit controls an operation of a print head that includes a nozzle plate and has a self-diagnosis function performed based on signals input from a first coupling point, a second coupling point, a third coupling point, and a fourth coupling point. The print head control circuit includes a first cable that includes a first power voltage signal propagation wiring for propagating a first power voltage signal, and a second cable that includes a first diagnosis signal propagation wiring for propagating a first diagnosis signal input to the first coupling point. A shortest distance between the nozzle plate and the first cable is longer than a shortest distance between the nozzle plate and the second cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Matsumoto, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 10960681
    Abstract: A printer may be used to print on print media, such as labels, where the print media, as fed through the print, spans substantially less than the full width of the printhead and platen. This may result in uneven print pressure across the print media during the print process. The uneven print pressure, in turn, may result in an uneven print density on the print media, which causes poor print quality. A system and method is employed with identifies the uneven print pressure, and compensates for the uneven print pressure to ensure consistent print density and good print quality. Along segments of the printhead which apply a below average pressure to the print media, the printhead is configured to apply a proportionately higher density of an appropriate contrast-inducing element, such as ink or heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wai Kit Ho
  • Patent number: 10953660
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an inkjet print head device for continuous inkjet printing, comprising a transducer; a charge electrode; a deflection plate; a gutter; and a holster; provided that the holster is receiving at least the aforementioned components, wherein the holster comprises an opening for a dedicated outlet for the ink in a printing mode, and wherein the holster further comprises an ink leakage detection area. Further the invention relates to a method and a system for detecting ink leakage in a print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SICPA HOLDING SA
    Inventor: Jayakanthan M Lachmanan
  • Patent number: 10946664
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to displaying, on a user interface, an approximate amount of a supply material in a supply reservoir. Upon receiving, in a receptacle, a new supply container, the supply reservoir may be filled with supply material from the new supply container. The user interface may further display an updated approximate amount of the supply material in a supply reservoir and an approximate amount of the supply material in the supply container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter G Hwang, Matthew B Clark, Christopher M Rives, Delvin T Edmond